VidDATA: An Innovative Tool for Climate Consultation and Agricultural Planning in Viticulture
The Technological and Renewable Energies Institute (ITER), part of the Cabildo of Tenerife, has developed VidDATA, a groundbreaking platform designed to analyse climate evolution and its impact on viticulture in the Canary Islands. This tool offers real-time climate consultation for planning activities based on weather forecasts, analysis of climate changes in cultivated areas, generation of climate projections and agroclimatic indices, identification of optimal areas for vine cultivation based on various scenarios, and simulation of viticulture production costs.
For President Rosa Dávila, this new tool represents a significant step in reinforcing collaboration with the struggling wine sector. “Our commitment is to safeguard our crops and our identity. This is a move forward in adapting viticulture to climate change as we face uncontrollable weather situations and pests.” Thanks to the use of high-resolution climate models developed by the GOTA group and executed on the TEIDE-HPC supercomputer, the tool will also provide specific data tailored to the territory, enabling agricultural planning suited to each area and situation.
In a context where climate variability poses an increasing challenge to the wine sector, VidDATA emerges as an innovative solution that empowers grape growers, technicians, and industry experts to make data-driven decisions based on high-resolution climate information adapted to the unique conditions of the Canary Islands. Although the platform focuses primarily on vine cultivation—a key sector in the region—its methodology could potentially apply to other crops in the future.
The project has a budget of €574,119.48 and has been developed in collaboration with the Interaction, ICT, and Education (ITED) and Agrifood Economics in the Canary Islands (ECOAGROCAN) groups from the University of La Laguna (ULL). It is funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation and the State Research Agency as part of the 2019 “Collaborative Challenges” R&D projects. Furthermore, collaboration with GOTA, ULL, and the Denominations of Origin (DDOO) of the wine sector has been instrumental.
A Key Tool for the Wine Sector in the Canary Islands
Juan José Martínez, the island councillor for Innovation at the Cabildo of Tenerife, stated, “VidDATA is a clear example of how science and technology can serve our territory and the primary sector. We are committed to tools that strengthen the resilience of the wine sector against climate change, and this platform exemplifies the immense potential our institutions have when collaborating with the university and the agricultural sector.”
This tool signifies a turning point in the management of viticulture in the Canary Islands, providing methods for decision-making based on scientific and technological data. Its ability to integrate climate information into viticultural planning will facilitate more efficient and sustainable management of vineyards, helping the sector to adapt to climate change challenges and ensuring the future viability of viticulture in the archipelago.
A High-Precision Data Ecosystem
VidDATA relies on a robust and scalable technological architecture designed to meet the needs of the viticulture sector and adapt to climatic, political, or economic changes. The platform contains over 3.5 billion meteorological, climatic, and viticulture production records from seven distinct data sources, which are visualised through more than 60 interactive dashboards, facilitating analysis and decision-making for users.
To enhance data accuracy, advanced interpolation methodologies are applied, adjusting climate information to different periods and agricultural conditions. Moreover, collaboration with the Denominations of Origin (DDOO) of the wine sector has enabled the incorporation of detailed crop traceability data, adding a critical dimension to directly relate the impact of climatic variables to viticultural production.
